Waste-pipe cleaner.



W. P. LA ROSE.'

WASTE PIPE CLEANER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28*l 1909.

Patented Dec. 6, 1910.

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WI TNESSES.'

W. P. LA ROSE.

WASTE PIPE CLEANER. APPLIoATIoN VFILED JUNE 2a. 1909.

Patented Dec. 6,1910

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WITNESSES.'

WILLIAM P. LA ROSE, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

'WASTE-PIPE CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led .Tune 28, 1909.

Patented Dee. 6, 1910. serial No. 504,670.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. LA ROSE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Waste- Pipe Cleaners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to devices for cleaning out waste-pipes of sinks, water-closets, and the like, and it has for one of its objects, the provision of means whereby the device may be manipulated so as to be forced into close cont-act with the sink or closet so as to establish a tight joint between the device and the tube or pipes to be cleaned.

The invention has, furthermore, for its object, the provision of a valve in connection with the device and forming a part thereof,-

the valve being disposed near the lower end of the device so that both hands may be used in keeping the device in tight contact with the sink or closet, while at the same time the valve is within reach of manipulation by the operator without rendering it necessary to remove one of his hands to operate the valve.

The invention has also for one of its objects, the provision of a valve which is so organized in relation to the device that whenever the latter is forced into contact with the bottom of the sink or closet, said valve will be automatically opened in proportion to the amount of pressure exerted.

In brief, my improved pipe-cleaner comprises a bell adapted to be seated upon the bottom of a sink or closet and connected with the high-pressure water faucet by a flexible tube which permits the ready manipulation of the device. Disposed above the bell and within easy reach of the operator is a valve or stop cock which is preferably provided with means whereby the operator may force the same with the bell downward on the seat in the bottom of the sink, and while one of these devices or means are preferably made integral'with the valvethe operator is movable so that when handpressure is exerted on top of the latter, the valve will be opened against a spring-pressure which normally tends to return the parts to their closed position.

My improved device is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar characters denote similar parts, and in which- Figure l is a side view of the device proper, the flexible hose connection being broken 0H. Fig. 2 is a top view of the device, and Fig. 3 is a section on line 3, 3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, 10 denotes a ieXible tube made o-f rubber and the upper end of which may be provided with suitable means for tightly fastening the same to the outlet of a faucet connected with a high-pressure water pipe. Secured to the lower end of the tube 10, is the body or casing 11 of a valve which in the form thereof shown comprises a plug 12 which is rotatable in the casing and has at its end a lever 13 whereby the plug may be oscillated so as to bring ports 14 of the plug into register with, or to shut olf, the passage of water through ports 15 provided in the valve-casing l1.

Inasmuch as the present device is intended to work under high water-pressure, the faucet may be turned on full head and the flow of water may therefore be controlled entirely by the valve plug 12 above described.

Secured to the lower end of the valve-body 11, is a thimble 16, in screw threaded engagement therewith, and carrying a bell 17 which is preferably made of stiff metal. Disposed on the underside of the bell is a cup leather or. washer 18 which extends, as at 18, beyond the lower edge of the bell 17 and which may be secured on the thimble 16, as for instance by a washer 19 and nut 20, so that the bell, or the valve-casing 11, are brought into close relation to each other.

By virtue of this organization, the operator is enabled to use both hands in forcing the l bell tightly against its seat in the bottom body, the other member to be operated by of the sink and yet be enabled to operate the valve without releasing his hold on the device. From this it is evident that while the operator is holding the bell tightly down, he may also operate the valve so as to admit and shut oftI water under pressure suddenly and in quick successions, the sudden impulses thus established being suliicient to clean out such obstructions as are ordinarily found in waste-pipes of the character above mentioned.

l'"Vhile under ordinary conditions, the valve-casing constitutes a convenient means for grasping the device and for holding the same down, I prefer to provide a bar 21 extending laterally of the device and between a pair of webs 22 which may form a part of the valve-casing, the intention being that this bar be grasped by one hand of the operator whose other hand may grasp a bar 23 disposed at the other side of the valve and preferably mounted for vertical movement to operate the valve-plug automatically as said bar is pushed downward.

In the organization shown in the drawings, the bar 23v extends between a pair of arms 24, 25 which are pivoted on lugs 26, 27 provided on the webs 22 above referred to, said arms having rearward extensions 24', 25 to be engaged by the upper ends of springs 30, 31, respectively, the lower ends of which may be held on pins 32, 33 also formed on the webs 22 above referred to. These springs are comparatively stiff so that considerable pressure must be exerted on the bar 23 to move the same downward.

By referring to Fig. 2, it will be understood that the arm 25 is provided with a pair of spaced lugs 35, 36 (see also Fig. 1) to receive between them the end of the plug lever 13.

In Fig. 3 the parts are shown in normal condition, that is, the valve-plug is closed and the bar 23 is in its highest position. It is, therefore, evident that when said bar 23 is now depressed against the tension of the springs 30, 31, said valve-plug will have at first an idle movement until the ports 14 commence to register with the ports 15 of the casing so that the bell is pressed down against the seat on the bottom of the sink with some pressure before water is permitted to pass through the plug. It will also be understood that the more the bar 23 is'depressed, the greater will be the registration of the ports 14 and 15, and also the greater will be the tension of the springs 30, 31, so that as a matter of fact, the more water is permitted to pass through the valve, the greater seating pressure will be exerted upon the device.

It should be stated at this time that the particular construction of the valve may be of any desired form. In other words, it is immaterial to the gist of the invention what type of valve is employed whether the same be of a push button kind, or a plunger valve, or in fact any of the other devices which may be applied to achieve the same results.

It will also be noted in connection with the device as above described that by virtue of this organization, the water may be quickly turned on and off without releasing the seating pressure exerted upon the device, this pressure being, as far as the movable arm 23 is concerned, dependent upon the strength of the springs 30, 31 which may be employed in pairs as above described, or which may be supplanted by other means, as desired.

I claim z- 1. A pipe-cleaning tool comprising a pressure supply-pipe, a bell attached thereto, and a valve closely connected to said bell and for cont-rolling the admission of iuid pressure thereinto, and means connected with and for operating said valve and foi` simultaneously forcing said bell against its seat.

2. The combination with a fluid pressure supply pipe, and a bell attached thereto, of a valve casing rigidly united to said bell and closely adjacent thereto, a valve between said pipe and said bell, and means for operating said valve and simultaneously forcing said bell against its seat.

3. The combination with a pressure supply pipe, a bell, a valve-casing rigidly connected therewith and closely adjacent thereto, and means carried by said casing for forcing said bell against its seat, of a valve in said casing for controlling the passage of pressure into said bell, and means for operating said valve.

L1. The combination with a bell, a valvecasing rigidly connected therewith and closely adjacent thereto, and means for forcing said bell yagainst its seat, of a controlvalve in said casing, a device carried by said casing and movable relatively thereto, and means for connecting said device with, and for operating said valve.

5. The combination with a bell, and a valve disposed closely adjacent thereto, of means for forcing said bell aga-inst its seat and for simultaneously operating said valve.

6. The combination with a bell, and a valve disposed closely adjacent thereto, of means for forcing said bell against its seat and for simultaneously opening said valve proportionately to the movement of said forcing means.

7. The combination with a bell, and a valve disposed closely adjacent thereto, of a device for operating said valve, and resilient means interposed between said device and the bell whereby the valve will be opened in proportion to the increase in resistance of the resilient means.

8. The combination with a bell, a valvel casing rigidly connected therewith and disposed closely adjacent thereto, of a, valve said bell against its seat, and for automatiadjacent said bell, means for operating said cally operating said Valve by the movement 1o valve and forcing said bell agrinst its sefat, of the seating means in both directions. a pressure supply, and exib e means 0r f1 connecting said pressure supply With said I WILLIAM P LA ROE' valve. Witnesses 9. The combination With a bell, and a M. E. ONEILL, valve carried thereby, of means for forcing I C. F. SGHMELZ. 

